Fire-escape.



No. 775,158. PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904. J. WENIG.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1904. no MODEL. 2SHEETS-SHIJET 1.

A TTORNE Y8 PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904.

J. WENIG.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 231 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

PIC-1.2-

INVENTOH F 5 0/372 Z Y y.

A TTOHNE 7S UNITED STATES Patented November 15, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,158, dated November 15, 1904.

Application filed May 23,1904. Serial No. 209,213. (No model.)

To a, whowt it Ynrty concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WENIG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Mount Pleasant, in the county of Isabella and State of h Iichigan, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in fire-escapes, having for an object to provide a novel construction whereby the chute may be raised to a window and may be connected therewith in such manner as to afford a means for the safe escape of the occupants of the house; and

the invention consists in certain novel conconstructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention as in use. Fig. 2 is an elevation from the inner side of the chute and the lazy-tongs support therefor in connection with the devices for supporting and adjusting the lazy-tongs. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the devices connected with the lower end of the lazy-tongs for operating the same. 4c is a section on about line a at of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the grappling-bar, showing the connection of the upper end of the lazy-tongs therewith. Fig. 6 is a detail top plan View showing the connection of the upper end of the lazy-tongs with the grappling-bar and the connection between the chute and the grappling-bar, and Figs. 7 and 8 show somewhat different constructions.

In carrying out my invention I employ a base consisting of a carriage A, having wheels B and upright plates 0, to and between which is pivoted at C the track-frame l), which is secured longitudinally to the under side of the platform E at a point midway between the sides of said platform E, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The trackframe I) is slotted at D, forming the upper rails (l and the lower rails d, between which operate the wheels F of the lazy-tongs presently described. The lazy-tongs Or has its lower sections Gr connected at g with the shaft connection between the wheels F, so that as said wheels F are adjusted toward each other the lazy-tongs will be extended, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and when the said wheels are adjusted apart, as shown in Fig. 3, the lazytongs will be closed or contracted, as will be understood from Fig. 3 of the drawings. For moving the wheels, and thus extending the lazy-tongs, I provide a shaft H, journaled at H to the platform E and having a drum H connected by ropes H with the opposite pairs of wheels F, a pawl and ratchet I-I being provided for securing the drum. By this means the drum will be operated to extend or retract the lazy-tongs to any desired extent.

In order that the lazy-tongs may be tilted from side to side to any desired extent in order to place it at a desired inclination to a building, the track-frame is pivoted at O to the upright plates O, and a sprocket-wheel I is journalcd to the carriage and has a handle I and a stop-pawl I A sprocket-chain J is secured at its ends to the platform E, at the opposite sides of the latter, and meshes between its ends with the sprocket-gear I, so the turning of the latter may operate to tilt the platform E to one side or the other, as may be desired.

By the described means it will be noticed the platform can be tilted to either side and the lazy-tongs can be extended or retracted, and means are provided for securing the platform and the lazy-tongs in any desired position.

Guide-plates .K are mounted upon the platform E and spaced apart sufiiciently to receive between them the lazy-tongs Gr. These plates are braced by the strut-braces K, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The upper section Gr of the lazy-tongs slide at along the grappling-bar L, which latter has hooks L to engage the window-sill, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, and is also provided with the hooks L which project in the reverse direction from the hooks L and are engaged by the eyes M on the top frame M of the escape-chute I This chute N may be of canvas or other suitable material and has at its upper end the frame M, by which it may be held open, and may be supplied at its lower end with handles N, by which the firemen on the ground can hold the chute in any desired position.

together by snaps or hooks, as shown in Fig.

Rounds N secured on the outer side of the chute, form a ladder by which firemen can readily pass from the ground to the top of the chute, whence they can readily reach the window to aid the escaping persons or for any desired purpose.

In the drawings I have only shown one lazytongs, and when this construction is employed guy-lines 0 may be employed for steadying the construction when in use. WV hen desired, 1 may employ two or more lazy-tongs side by side, in which case the use of the guy-lines may be dispensed with.

It will be understood that the canvas tube may be used in hotels and supplied with rings at its upper end for attachment inside of windows and also have at intervals openings held '8, so a machine may throw up as much of the tube as necessary, and places will be provided where people can be taken out, the intervals being ordinarily distances apart equal to the height of a story. .It will also be understood that the hooks can be used either double, as shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6, or single, as shown in Fig. 7.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is l The fire-escape herein described comprising the carriage, the track-frame pivoted atits ends in connection with the carriage and provided with the upper and lower rails for the lazy-tongs rollers, the platform to which said track-frame is secured midway between its sides, the sprocket-chain securedat its ends to the platform at the opposite sides of the latter, the sprocket-wheel journaled to the carriage and meshing with the said chain, the

' guide-plates,the lazy-tongs operating between the guide-plates of the platform and having its lower arms provided with wheels operating in the track-frame, the journaled drum connected with the lower end of the lazy tongs for extending the latter, the grapplingbar connected with the upper end of the lazytongs and having the projecting hooks for engagement with the window-sill and the projecting hooks for the connection of the escapechute, and the chute provided with the ladder-rounds at its outer side and having at its upper end the frame provided with eyes engaging with the hooks of the grappling-bar substantially as set forth.

JOHN WENIG.

Witnesses:

FRANK BIMGARD, H. H. LAW. 

